Campaigners have issued an urgent warning as four activists on a prolonged hunger strike in UK prisons in solidarity with Palestine face serious and worsening health conditions. The protest, now in its 56th day, has seen one participant lose the ability to speak and another unable to stand without blacking out.
Critical Health Deterioration Among Striking Prisoners
According to the campaign group Prisoners for Palestine, the health of the remaining hunger strikers is declining rapidly. Heba Muraisi, 31, detained at HMP New Hall in West Yorkshire, stated she feels "weaker as each day passes." In a released statement, she reported severe bruising, constant body aches, and an inability to lie on her side due to pain.
Most alarmingly, Ms Muraisi revealed she is losing the capacity to form sentences and maintain conversation, signalling significant neurological and physical stress from the prolonged refusal of food.
Another striker, Teuta Hoxha, 29, held at HMP Peterborough, is described as "virtually bedridden" during her second hunger strike this year. She experiences dizzy spells, blackouts upon standing, and increasing levels of brain fog. This follows the hospitalisation of two other activists, Qesser Zuhrah and Amu Gib, who paused their strike at HMP Bronzefield after 48 days due to critical health declines.
Legal Action and Unmet Demands
The situation has escalated to the courts, with lawyers for the strikers initiating legal proceedings against the government on Monday. They accuse the Ministry of Justice of abandoning its own prison safety policy framework and warn that the activists are facing potential death.
The hunger strikers, who have sent multiple letters to Justice Secretary David Lammy without reply, have issued a series of demands. These include immediate bail, unrestricted communication, and the transfer of Ms Muraisi back to HMP Bronzefield. Their protest has garnered high-profile support, leading to the arrest of climate activist Greta Thunberg at a demonstration outside the Home Office earlier this month.
Government and Prison Service Response
The government maintains that its procedures are robust. Lord Timpson, the minister of state for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending, stated the system is "very experienced" at handling hunger strikes, citing over 200 incidents annually on average. He emphasised the separation of powers, confirming the government will not meet with the prisoners or their representatives.
An HMP Bronzefield spokesperson said all prisoners are managed in line with UK-wide policies, including specialist multi-agency processes to assess risk. The Ministry of Justice has previously denied all claims of mistreatment.
The four remaining strikers—Heba Muraisi, Teuta Hoxha, Kamran Ahmed, and Lewie Chiaramello—face charges related to activism. Four are accused of involvement in a break-in at the Israeli-linked defence firm Elbit Systems UK in November 2024, with a trial scheduled for May 2025 at the earliest. The other four are charged with a break-in at RAF Brize Norton in June, involving alleged criminal damage to aircraft.
As the strike continues with no resolution in sight, Prisoners for Palestine has drawn a stark parallel, noting the hunger strikers, like "Christians in Gaza," are enduring their ordeal without respite.
